VDOT News - Northern Virginia

FAIRFAX—The Virginia Department of Transportation asks northern Virginia drivers to monitor weather reports for sleet and freezing rain overnight to early Thursday, particularly in western Loudoun County, and to plan to stay off roads in areas that are impacted.

Road crews will mobilize overnight to treat icy conditions with salt and sand as needed.    

When freezing rain is forecasted, drivers are asked to remember:

• Stay off of roads to not endanger yourself or others. Four-wheel drive cannot stop better than two-wheel drive on ice. Stay abreast of weather reports to avoid being on the road during icy conditions.
  
• Freezing rain causes a glaze of ice that is difficult to see. Black ice often occurs along with wet roads, making it hard to discern and extremely hazardous for driving or walking.
  
• Ice forms more quickly on bridges and overpasses because air circulates both above and below the road surface, lowering the pavement temperature more rapidly. Ice also persists in shaded areas.
  
• Because freezing rain falls as rain, it is ineffective to pre-treat roads for this type of weather.

Stay informed of current road conditions and VDOT’s efforts:

• Check 511virginia.org or the mobile app for traffic conditions and closures
  
• Visit virginiadot.org/novaemergency for the latest updates and resources during winter events in northern Virginia
  
• Follow @VaDOTNOVA on Twitter

Before heading out, take time to update the emergency kit in your car. Here’s how: www.ready.gov/car
 

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